EE Times' Top 15 Hot Technologies for 2013

Engineers have worked on various forms of vertical transistors for years, and will continue to do so. But 2012 was the year one company used them in mass production: Intel’s Ivy Bridge processors hit the market in 2012 with its 22-nm tri-gate transistor process, giving it a significant edge over other chip makers, the x86 giant claimed.

Competitors disagree, of course, many noting the doped devices create difficulties in threshold voltages. They maintain undoped FinFETs will be required to deliver the full advantage of the technology. IBM suggested it could go all the way to a 10-nm process without FinFETs, but other top chip makers including Globalfoundries and TSMC laid out plans this year showing FinFETs on their road maps.

Good overall list... how ever, I do take exception to one -3-D printing! The industry (may be in sync with 3D TV's) would love to use the fancy word for many engineers like me have been using as SLA machines (stereolithography). These prototyping machines in manufacturing have been around for decades and have always been the lowest-cost way to make sample parts. But I would argue they remain as play for enterprises by a huge majority than for consumers! Equipments and materials are no where near the price models of Inkjet printers!
By the way, regarding some 2012 duds in the list, I would list:
1. NXP's IoT with light bulbs -largely remained as a dreamware for 2012!
2. Plastic electronics ended the year as only slightly removed from hype!
3. NFC -mixed bag in the USA; caught on in EU.
4. Printed electronics -ditto! The explosion as huge growth opportunity yet to materialize!
5. Graphene -still in hype cycle!
6. GPGPU -right on! Winner!!
7. EUV -need I say more, HYPE continues!
8. 40/100Gig Ethernet -catching up BUT not in RJ45!!
9. Mobile OS with Android -right on! Winner!!
10. AMOLEDs -neutral! Some wins in tablets, TV still too expensive!
11. 3DIC's -neutral; many-ongoing designs, some product releases (Samsung's RDRAM with TSV's).
Overall, I would give a thumbs up to EE Times.
MP Divakar

3D printing is technology which everyone is excited about. Needs to be seen what advancement will we see in 3D printing this year. We are seeing some new versions of 3D printers in on-going CESC exhibition.